I Need A Hero
by johnsnow100
Summary: What will happen to El after the Byers move away? What will happen to Mike or the rest of the gang? How will our favorite characters will grow into adults. New mysteries, new enemies, and new friends. This is an exploration into the wider world that is possible within the Stranger Things setting.


A/N: First foray into fanfiction, a big noobie.

I love Stranger Things and Season 3 very much so. It got my thoughts and creative juices going about how and why El and the Byers are moving out. I also didn't want to be limited to a "what if" fic for Season 4. Instead, I just want to be creative and expand on the world of Stranger Things and explore how El and Mike grow to become adults. There's going to be new mysteries and new enemies not related and not limited to the Demogorgon/Mind Flayer/Russians/Missing Hopper.

* * *

**The Breaking of the Fellowship**

The kids were having a game night at the Byers house on Saturday, about a month after the events of July 4th. They usually met there since El had moved in after the Mindflayer half destroyed Hopper's cabin. Mike had tried his hardest to get El to live in basement but Joyce Byers was the only parent that knew about El and it was too much of a risk for El to stay anywhere else.

Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Max had joined Will and El in the living room and were playing a D&D campaign. The game was going pretty well. Lucas and Max were arguing about how their characters were spending their earned gold in game. Dustin brought up his girlfriend Suzie more than a couple times to the annoyance of Will who got really testy.

Mike's attention was most of the time focused on El, as usual. Mike had a feeling that El was quieter than usual. But then again, he felt that he couldn't figure out what she was thinking half the time after their breakup, and even after they made up. She would be moody and silent, not as warm and approachable as before. He felt like he was on pins and needles around her. It was probably due to Hopper's death but maybe he just sucked at being a good boyfriend.

Now Will on the other hand. Mike thought he was acting really weird the entire night. He would alternate between sad and getting angry at some minor things. Halfway through game night everybody took a break and were getting refreshments and chatting. After a while Will had gathered everybody's attention for something. They all gathered around Will. El found Mike and stood next to him grabbing his hand.

Will looked at everybody. "Guys, I have some bad news."

"Did you get a girlfriend?...Ow!" Lucas quickly chimed before Max hit him in the arm.

"Shut up dingus!" Max hit him twice for good measure.

Will gave a wry smile, "No, worse. My family is moving the family to Chicago in two months and El is moving with us."

"What! No way! No!" Everybody was yelling. "You're breaking up the party!" Dustin cried.

"It was my mom's decision. Something about getting some money from the government for all the crap we've been through. Also, so the Russians can't find her, I mean, she did attack a secret Russian base." Will tried to explain.

"Yeah that was pretty bad ass…Ow!" Lucas agreed.

Max hit Lucas again, "Not the point!" She turned to Will, "Why is El going with you?"

"You know how Hopper adopted El? Well the government people is letting Mom adopt her."

"What why?" Mike exclaimed, "She can stay with me, my house has plenty of room, El can have my whole basement." He turned to El, "Right El?"

"I can't." El said, "Your family will be in danger…" She trailed off, not wanted to say more.

Mike felt his mind was a mess. "El, lets talk privately?" He tugged at her hand.

"Okay Mike, my room" They ran off to what used to be Will's room where El was staying.

Mike gave El a hug to reassure her. "Hey, friends don't lie, right? Tell me what's going on, did the government bad men force you and Mrs. Byers?"

"No Mike, its not like that." She shook her head then started to recall what happened.

**Flashback**

El had heard Mrs. Byers get a call from Dr. Owens a week after July 4th. The next day Mrs. Byers took El and Will to Hawkins lab to see Dr. Owens. As El made her way there, she noticed way more security than when the lab was previously active, with many military vehicles parked around the entrance and the building.

Mrs. Byers, El, and Will were led into a conference room with Dr Owens and a man in army uniform. Dr Owens started talking as they sat down. "Thanks for meeting us Joyce, and Jane and Will as well. This is Colonel Jones of the U.S. Army who leads our government's Supernatural and Paranormal Agency, SPA for short. Hawkins Lab previously was previously operating independently but it was brought until SPA after Dr. Brenner died. SPA now handles all supernatural and paranormal research, response, and rehabilitation of those affected."

"Mrs. Byers, Jane, and Will, the U.S. government needs your help. The paranormal activities used to be limited to this town but now the Soviets have obtained the intelligence, it has become a serious national and global problem. The Russians will continue their own efforts and they may continue to send spies into Hawkins. SPA will also defend the country and its citizens from paranormal threats from Soviets and other foreign nations."

"This isn't going to be easy, but we would like you to move out of Hawkins and close by to a new SPA base we are setting up outside of Chicago. We'll provide everything, a new house, a regular stipend for your assistance, and we would also like to monitor the health of Jane and Will who've both been hurt by the monsters."

Joyce thought that everything he said seemed very reasonable. "Doctor, what about the other kids, Will's friends, they've had as much involvement with the whole thing as me?"

"The other kids from our interviews had limited contact with the supernatural monsters or the other realm. Their general health aren't in danger. I don't want to scare you guys but we still don't know exactly what happens with us when we are affected by the monster. It will also be very suspicious to move too many people. I know its going to be incredibly tough to separate kids form their friends but this is for everybody's safety."

Joyce seemed pretty much convinced since she didn't want to stay in this town with all the bad memories either. But she also wanted to take care of El for Hopper. "Doctor, how can I be assured you won't just lock Jane up again.?"

Dr Owens glanced at man beside him, "Colonel Jones?"

Colonel Jones spoke up for the first time, "Mrs. Byers, Jane, Will, what I'm about to show you cannot be repeated to your family or friends. It will put you all and myself in danger." He paused to look at Jane for a brief moment and continued.

"The U.S. government has been researching and tracking paranormal events ever since the atomic bombs were invented. We think it's due to the energy and radiation released that is causing changes to our world beyond our understanding. Hawkins Lab previously under Dr. Brenner was responsible for some of this research but he went completely rogue. SPA does not keep people as prisoners for science experiments. People with supernatural abilities are our partners, not our prisoners or property. And Jane Hopper? we need your help with research but we also want you to have a normal life, including being free to go to school and experience the outside world."

Colonel Jones picked up a cup on the table and held it in his palm. "Watch."

El looked at Colonel Jones as he concentrated his attention on the cup for a few seconds. To her surprise, the cup started levitating three inches above his hand. The cup hovered for only a few seconds before dropping down. Colonel Jones let out a sigh, "My psychic abilities are pretty weak. But as you can see, I'm not locked up in a cell. So, what do you say Jane?"

"Ok"

**Flashback End**

Mike stared at El in surprise as she finished her story. "Hey, weren't you not supposed to tell me?"

"Mike, I…didn't want to lie to you. But please don't tell anyone else. Only you. Promise?"

Mike smiled at her apprehensive face and reassured her. "Promise El, thanks for telling me, it means everything to me."

He gave her a quick kiss and they started discussing about how they would keep in touch and when he could come to visit her. After a while there was a knock on the door. Dustin yelled out, "Hey are you two done sucking face in there."

Mike and El both rolled their eyes and Mike led El back to the living room.

The rest were looking at Mike, as if waiting for his reaction to everything. "What?" Mike asked, looking around at them.

"What do you mean what? You seem a bit too calm. Are you just going to be ok with all this?" Max waved her hand around gesturing.

"Yeah Mike!" Lucas chimed in, "Tell Will that he can't go and that he can't take El. Its not right, we just got the whole gang together less than a year!"

"I'm just as sad and angry as you guys!" Mike tried to explain, knowing he couldn't tell them everything. "The government is going to treat El well, they promised. And you know Mrs. Byers; she won't let any bullshit past her. She'll take care of El."

Mike looked sadly at El, "We got into so much deep shit these years, but we're just kids. We all could have died, many times."

The rest seemed to deflate after that. Mike was the de facto leader of the party and they didn't know what to say if Mike accepted it. Plus, the last few words really hit home.

"So, what do we do now?" Dustin asked?

Will spoke up, "We'll always be friends, even if we're in another city. We can visit each other for holidays and stuff."

El held out her hand to grab Dustin to her other side. "Friends." Mike grabbed Lucas, and they all ended up in an awkward group hug. They comforted each other about their uncertain future.

In the end Will asked the most important question, "Can we get back to D&D now?"


End file.
